Meg & Abby


Event & Dates
Major Causes
Key Events
Key Outcomes for Analysis
Interesting POV's to consider
1588
Spanish Armada
Religious: Queen Elizabeth I of England was Protestant, and deeply antagonized the Catholics by her persecution of them and and the execution of Mary I of Scotland. Spain had the aim to dethrone Elizabeth and reconvert England to Catholicism.
Political: Philip II cound not surpress a revolt of Protestants in the Spanish controlled Netherlands, they were being aided by Protestant England so Philip II decided he must confront the English.
Economic: competition between Spain and England for trade in the Americas
-Philip II ordered preparations for an Armada that would rendezvous w/army of the duke of Parma in Flanders and escort his troops across English Channel for invasion
-Armada was a disaster -- fleet set sail, didn't have the ship nor man-power that Philip had planned to send
-Spanish fleet, battered by several encounters w/English, sailed back to Spain by northward route, further battered by storms
(didn't end the war)

-stimulated English nationalism
-secure Protestantism as England's state religion
-create trust in English Navy

Spain: demoralizing defeat which nearly bankrupted its treasury
Spain: lessened their influence over Europe as well as the influence and power of Catholicism
England: guaranteed Protestantism in their nation; also proved to the rest of Europe that England was a powerful and influential nation (hegemony!)